IWSC announces Portugal to host Global Wine Judging

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 20 July, 2026

The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) has announced that Portugal will host the country’s first ever Global Wine Judging event.

Held to mark the start of the 2027 judging season – in partnership with Wines of Portugal – the IWSC 2027 Wine Judging in Portugal will take place from 18-21 November 2026 in Bairrada.

It will bring together a panel of leading international wine buyers, sommeliers, MWs and other industry experts to judge Portuguese wines in their place of origin.

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The panel will be headed up by IWSC Wine Judging Committee member Dirceu Vianna Júnior MW – an expert on Portuguese wines.

Commenting on the judging, Júnior said: “Portugal is one of the world's most exciting wine-producing countries because it never stops surprising you.

“With more than 250 indigenous grape varieties and an extraordinary diversity of landscapes and winemaking traditions, it offers a richness that very few countries can match.”

He added that “Bairrada perfectly reflects the balance between tradition and innovation that defines Portuguese wine today, from exceptional sparkling wines and world-class Baga to exciting expressions of both indigenous and international varieties.

“It is the ideal setting to showcase the quality, diversity and ambition of modern Portuguese winemaking.”

Since 2022, the IWSC Global Judging programme has been one of the competition’s most successful initiatives, according to the organisation.

It aims to produce meaningful dialogue between producers and those with influence in the global trade and help them to become well-informed ambassadors for those regions they visit.

Buyers and sommeliers are given the opportunity to visit vineyards, meet winemakers and experience the regions firsthand.

The IWSC said that previous Global Judging events “have delivered tangible commercial results for medal winners”.

These have included new listings with leading UK retailers, independent merchants, wine bars and Michelin-starred restaurants, alongside new importer partnerships.

Hosting the Global Judging may be a boon for Wines of Portugal, which – as Harpers previously reported – has said that it intends to make the UK Portugal’s number one export market over the next decade.

The UK currently ranks fourth by export volume for Portugal but has delivered consistent year-on-year growth.

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